8:13 p.m. - We are about to wrap up with this meeting. Check back later at AL.com for more.

8:09 p.m. - Cecilia Bayer with the Mobile Symphony talked about how much that organization has added to the economic activity for the city.

7:57 p.m. - Katie Emer with the Salvation Army said the performance contract focuses on drug and alcohol recovery programs. If cut, it affects public safety since it helps alleviate jail overcrowding.

7:51 p.m. - Garrett Green with the South Alabama Coalition of Non-Profits: "It is our belief that many of our contracts provide essential services to the city of Mobile."

7:48 p.m. - More discussion from the performance contractors including those with Dumas Wesley Community Center.

7:24 p.m. - Monica Motely, president of Alabama School of Math and Sciences spoke in favor of the organization and talked about its importance to the community, including the opportunities it gives students. It also receives money from performance contracts.

Jean Pippen, with her 31-year-old daughter, Jackie. The Pippen's are dependent on services by the Independent Living Center, which could lose $50,000 in performance contracts from the city of Mobile that could affect its day services program. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

7:18 p.m. - Amelia Bacon with the Boys and Girls Club and two members of the club spoke against the cuts to the organization.

7:16 p.m. - The retirees are finished speaking. It's now time for the performance contracts.

7:05 p.m. - Williams: "When the hurricanes to the Gulf, we came to work. When the tornadoes on Christmas eve hit midtown and Spring Hill Avenue, we were at work. Consider that."

7:01 p.m. - Former Mobile Police Chief Micheal Williams: "Some of these people worked 20, 30, 40 years for this city with the excpetation that at the end of their career, they would have benefits promised. That they would have insurance that was promised. Why would anyone consider taking away the insurance from those who need it the most? Why?"

6:58 p.m. - Gilchrist: "You don't take away from people who built this house. You don't take away the foundation."

6:56 p.m. - Billy Gilchrist, a retired firefighter, said there were promises made to him as an employee about his benefits.

6:46 p.m. - Phillip Garrett, the retired police chief, said the treatment of the city retirees is akin to how veterans have been treated by the VA Administration. He said there are promises that should be kept by the city.

6:41 p.m. - Rusty Reinhart of Saraland suggested the retirees, such as him, meet with the mayor and come up with solutions that helps maintain the insurance for retirees.

6:35 p.m. - Wesley Young, with Mobile Public Services Workers: "We know the mayors in this city since 1985 and none of them made a proposal to cut the insurance for retirees. It's just mind boggling to me. That's why we stayed because of the benefits. Not because of the money."

6:32 p.m. - Bryce Smith, a retired city of Mobile worker: "Where is the heart of the city? I see a man with a vision, but Rome wasn't built in a day. It took a lot of years and a lot of hard work. Look in your souls. Put yourself in other people's shoes."

6:29 p.m. - Greg Foster, with the retired firefighters association: "Things cost the same as everyone else who is working our pay doesn't go up, our pension doesn't increase. Once you take away benefits, it hurts. It hurts not just me and my family, but everyone else out there. we struggle."

6:25 p.m. - John Wiggins: "I would think that the right thing to do is not take from people who give 30, 40 years on a fixed income. I don't see why that is on the table. We never faced that. We struck in '79 over insurance issues. I've never seen Mr. Dow talk about taking the insurance away."

6:22 p.m. - DeWayne Patrick, the union rep. with the local firefighters, said it will be difficult for Mobile to hire new police and firefighters by changing their benefits and making it more expensive for them.

6:12 p.m. - Morrison: "Now Mayor Stimpson proposes to jerk the rug of under the feet of city of Mobile retirees, many of whom are decrepit and of ill-health and in desperate need (of the benefits)."

6:10 p.m. - Linwood Morrison, the former revenue director for the city, said the capital budget could be lowered somewhat in order to "keep the promises made to employees when they were hired."

6:05 p.m. - Dennis Green, a former city worker: "I love a good museum. But these museums are not essential. I love the Exploreum, but everytime you go there, a number of the exhibits don't work. Yet, they are paying $600,000 a year to the Exploreum? Why, if they don't take care of what they got?"

5:54 p.m. - James Lilley, a retired firefighter, started off the statements. He was emotional. He said that it's not the retirees who are hurting the city's insurance.

5:48 p.m.- Stimpson said the issues with the retirees are not directly tied in with the 2015 budget. He said they can be worked on during the year.

5:46 p.m. - Gregory said that anyone who has something to say that is the same as a previous speaker to consider not speaking.

5:45 p.m. - 35 people have signed in to speak today. They are allowed 5 minutes to speak. Anyone want to bring me dinner and a midnight snack?

5:43 p.m. - The public hearing is about to kick off. Those who are here to speak on health care will start. The performance contractors will come after that.

5:05 p.m. - It's a large crowd at Gov't Plaza. The council is now in recess until 5:30 p.m.

5:04 p.m. - B.C. Rain School will host the Sept. 30 Mobile City Council meeting. It will be held at 6 p.m.

4:50 p.m. - The council unanimously approved laying over for two weeks the appointment of several judges to Municipal Court.

4:47 p.m. - The tax increase was laid over for two weeks. Rich opposed. 6-1 vote. It appears the budget will now wait for at least two more weeks until it is voted on.

4:43 p.m. - It appears the budget and the tax increase will be laid over for two weeks. The budget was supposed to be up for a vote during the council's Sept. 9 meeting.

4:41 p.m. - Richardson said he will withdraw his motion and the council will hold a committee meeting to discuss the tax increase in more detail.

4:40 p.m. - Richardson said he won't vote again on the penny if it sunsets on Sept. 30, 2015. It takes five votes on the tax issue. "If there are (five) votes for the penny to sunset and to end on Sept. 30, I will not in the future vote again for the penny. Don't come back eight months later and say we need the penny."

4:36 p.m. - Councilman C.J. Small wants to see the penny extended beyond September 2015. He said there are streets that are in need of being fixed.

4:34 p.m. - Councilwoman Bess Rich said it's time for the citizens to vote on the penny increase.

4:33 p.m. - Richardson on the penny increase in perpetuity: "Other than Semmes, Alabama, there is not a city anywhere that is less than 10. Why would we want to give up $32 million when our own engineers said we had hundreds of millions of dollars of infrastructure issues that need to be corrected. I say let the penny alone."

4:29 p.m. - Councilman Fred Richardson is requesting the penny sales tax increase be amended to delete the sunset provision (in other words, make it permanent).

4:25 p.m. - Carrie Coates of Chickasaw is asking for a waiver of the noise ordinance for the 9th annual unity walk event from 10 a.m. to 8 a.m. She said she wants sound checks for the artists, but council members are only offering to go to 9 a.m. The council agreed on the 9 a.m. start time.

4:21 p.m. - Stimpson on the health plan changes to current employees, new employees and retirees: "My administration will reassess and redeploy resources to address health care as new information arises."

4:19 p.m. - Stimpson on the city's health plan: "The city of Mobile health plan has excellent coverage with below market share costs to its employees."